Judge stops Biglerville gun dealer after 10,000 violations

Scott Taylor committed more than 10,000 violations of the Gun Control Act, officials said.

THE EVENING SUN

Posted:
02/28/2013 05:56:23 PM EST

A Biglerville firearms dealer who authorities say committed more than 10,000 violations of the Gun Control Act has had his license revoked.

The U.S. Department of Justice on Thursday announced that a federal judge has adopted the revocation of a Federal Firearms License for Scott W. Taylor, who operated a Biglerville home business known as Taylor's Trading Post.

The license revocation stems from violations discovered from a compliance inspection performed at the 730 Upper Temple Road home business in early 2010, according to a Justice Department news release.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) discovered during the inspection that over a three-year period of time, Taylor had committed more than 10,000 violations of the Gun Control Act, which requires firearm dealers to keep detailed and timely records of the purchase and sale of firearms, the news release states.

The Justice Department said law-enforcement officials rely on purchase and sales records to apprehend criminals who use firearms to commit crimes, and to ensure that firearms are not being sold to people who are not authorized to possess them.

Despite buying and selling thousands of guns over that three-year period, the Justice Department said, Taylor failed to record the purchase of 5,715 firearms, the sale of 2,856 firearms, and keep records of the disposition of 1,618 additional firearms.

About 160 of the firearms remain unaccounted for, the Justice Department said.

Taylor also admitted to possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number, which he knew was illegal, and failed to report it to law enforcement, the news release states.

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Reached at his home Thursday, Taylor said he had records for many if not all of the purchases and sales, but the records weren't in the form the government wanted them. He said he had been ill during the period the violations took place, but said he didn't want to use that as an excuse.

"I guess that's all water over the dam now," Taylor said.

The ATF revoked Taylor's Federal Firearms License in November 2010, but Taylor challenged the revocation, the Justice Department said. Taylor claimed his three-year failure to comply with the record requirements had not been willful for a variety of reasons, including illness, the loss of a co-worker, and the crash of a computer system, the Justice Department states.

U.S. Middle District Court Judge John E. Jones III adopted findings resulting from a hearing before Chief Magistrate Judge Martin C. Carlson, in which the violations were determined to be willful, the news release states. Taylor's actions were determined willful because he admitted he knew the law required him to keep the records, that he had kept the records in the past, and then that he failed to keep the records for three years while he continued to buy and sell thousands of guns each year, according to the news release.

As a result of Jones' ruling, Taylor will be no longer be able to engage in the business of dealing in firearms.

ATF will establish terms to facilitate Taylor's liquidation of his firearms inventory in a specified time period, the news release states.

Taylor said he would try to sell his business, and given the consequences he faced, could give a piece of advice to whoever might buy it.

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